Mirrors: Think On Your Sins
by JKrlin
Summary: After Mirrors, by Andrew Joshua Talon, Keitaro wasn't as happy as he thought he'd be with six new brothers. Plus, there was a complication no one saw. It's one of the reasons why he left. Now, he's coming back a year later. Him, his clones, and the girls have all grown and changed. Keitaro brought trouble with him, and they'll need to work together to get out alive and well.
1. Chapter 1

**(A/N) Special thanks to Andrew Joshua Talon for allowing other writers to expand on the universe created in **_**Mirrors**_**. This is pretty much how I pictured things to happen afterward with my own little twists and characters in it. Pleas read and review. **

X

It was the end of another long day in the life of Keitaro Urashima. Another day of getting physically abused by the majority of the girls, attending classes at Tokyo University, and doing maintenance on the Hinata Inn. Somewhere in the mix, Naru had delivered her classic Naru Punch, Shinobu fretted over him, his wounds inexplicably healed, Masaru laughed and gave a pat on the back –

Oh right, Keitaro had six clones of him running out and about, essentially taking over the roles he played in the girls' lives.

He sighed as he sat at the top of the steps leading to the entrance of the apartments. The sun was setting, and the cries of laughter and shouting could be faintly heard. It was Motoko's birthday, and everyone worked hard on preparing a great party for her. The volume increased for a few seconds as the doors were opened. When they closed, Keitaro heard someone walking from behind and then sitting next to him. The figure offered him one of Aunt Haruka's cigarettes. Keitaro took it, and his companion lit it with a lighter.

Evil Keitaro, now going by Masaru, became the new subject of Shinobu's affection. Following the original's return, he tried to skip town to get away from the insanity that he knew would ensue. Thing is that Shinobu begged him to stay. She and everyone else suspected what damage he could do if he was allowed to run free. Eventually, Masaru willingly chose not go thanks to the fifteen year old girl. He remembered how she was the only tenant whose kindness almost never wavered. She never tried to take advantage of him or hurt him. Masaru felt he owed Shinobu and stayed as she asked. He became the secondary cook in the inn.

Brainy Keitaro, Akira, usually kept his distant from the others. However, he often worked in conjunction Kaolla on science projects and experiments, solidifying a rather complicated bond between youthful energy and indifferent intellect. In order to compensate for the extra mouth to feed, Akira worked as in independent contractor, using his skills with technology for various assignments. For whatever reason, he refused to disclose who paid him, but he got along just fine with everyone.

Kaede, otherwise known as Fun Keitaro, was a wild and unpredictable one. More often than not he could be seen hanging out with Kitsune, drinking their troubles away or betting on horse races. Haruka got sick of him sitting down all day and told him to get a job. That night, Kaede came home with a black eye, said that he wasn't as good a gambler as he thought. The next day, he came home in a black suit, a bow tie, a walking cane, and a top hat, going on about how he'll perform his first show at a little club down the street. No one's been able to find the club except for Kitsune, and they still refused to share where it is or what exactly was the act Kaede bragged about but never explained in detail.

Osamu, the shy, Timid Keitaro, tried to avoid people, but his more confident brother decided that he needed to grow a back bone. Since most of their fellow clones were getting jobs to pay for their residence, Osamu ended up being hired as a waiter for the Hinata Café. After two months under the watchful eye of Haruka, he only periodically stuttered and fainted. Luckily, Mutsumi was always there to pick him up and give him a refreshing cup of tea.

Ren, the Kind Keitaro, was pretty much like the original except that Naru did not abuse him. He was kind, and when he became a victim of one of Kaolla's kicks or Motoko's attacks, he got back up and immediately apologized in shame. With time, the attacks gradually ceased to happen. They could no longer keep looking at that kicked dog expression, and he made sure to treat them to a meal afterward. His lectures on how you should treat others could get tiresome for everyone, but Naru supported him every step of the way.

Confident Keitaro, Hibiki, spent a lot of time with Motoko. True, he and Kaede often gave jokes at the most inappropriate times and places, but they added more to the excitement of living in Hinata Inn. Whenever he wanted something done, Hibiki with his can-do attitude turned it into an obsession. When Masaru played a prank on him, he declared an all-out war that lasted a week. When he and Naru got into an argument about whether or not Ren was her boy toy, he designed charts and a power point to present his case. When Motoko's birthday neared, Hibiki outright took over the whole operation to give her the best birthday, ever, of all time.

"Why aren't you in there?" Masaru asked, lighting a cigarette for himself.

Keitaro blew into the cold air. "I helped set everything up, left a special present for Motoko. Left something special for everyone, y'know. They don't need anything else from me." He was surprised at the sound of his voice. It sounded bitter and defeated. He was hoping to sound more dignified.

Masaru chuckled and wobbled a bit. Kaede had slipped him a very good drink. "What about dear Aunty Haruka? Kanako? Shinobu?"

Keitaro felt something in his chest. His numbness had slowly worn off over the past few weeks, and his pent up emotions were resurfacing. "Shinobu has you to spoil." His brother gave a hefty laugh. "Haruka will get over it. Kanako… I plan on visiting her and my parents."

The former Evil Keitaro's relaxed, bright demeanor shifted into a grim, bittersweet smile. "I used to be a bad guy, so I know what you're doing is pretty mean, leaving without saying goodbye to their faces."

"Maybe –"

"No, you are kind of an ass right now." He patted Keitaro's back. "I've trained you well, dear brother." When no response came, he retracted his hand. "Then again, the girls were also kind of asses by ignoring you and letting the boys take over."

"Don't remind me," Keitaro muttered.

The sound of footsteps interrupted their train of thought. They looked down and saw a familiar figure walking up the stairs. Once the two clearly identified who it was, they crushed their cigarettes under their feet.

"Ah, Urashima," Tsuruko greeted and bowed. "It is a pleasure to see you again. I received your call and…" She paused and observed Masaru. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you had a twin brother."

Masaru gave her mock salute and spoke cheerily. "Greetings! I'm Masaru, and I'm not the only brother he has. There are seven identical siblings in all!"

Tsuruko was startled. Before she could voice any more questions, Keitaro stood up. "I apologize, Tsuruko, but it wasn't me that called you. It must have been Hibiki, Motoko's boyfriend. He wanted to make this an unforgettable birthday for her."

Her eyes perked up at the words "Motoko's boyfriend" and thought back to an confrontation she had not too long ago. "I assume this Hibiki is one of your brothers? I believe I've met him before."

"I bet the surprise he planned didn't sound like something Keitaro here would have thought up himself, huh?" Masaru asked quietly.

"It was something unexpected, yes," she admitted. "What are you two doing out here in the cold, anyway? Why aren't you inside?"

She could see the hesitation in Keitaro when he looked down, but Masaru answered instead. "I had to leave before I started drinking too much. No corrupting the minds of the children and all that crap. My dear brother here has an errand to run. We decided to enjoy the scenery before he left."

Tsuruko nodded, but her curiosity was pinched and craved to be satisfied. "What errand requires you to leave so late during my sister's special day, Urashima?"

He only replied with a saddened expression after Masaru gave him a rough nudge. "I have a…" And that was all he said.

Masaru sighed as he shook his head. "Sorry ma'am, but it's a rather complicated errand he has to go on. Long story, tragic tale, we can have a campfire later, but right now," he checked his watch, "Keitaro needs to go or he'll miss his deadline." Masaru got to his feet and lightly pushed his brother. "Off you go, buddy."

Slowly but surely, he walked down the long staircase. "Goodbye Masaru. Goodbye Tsuruko." When he passed her, she gently grabbed his shoulder.

"Urashima, I have a good friend that has said goodbye to me in a similar tone that you just used." Keitaro flinched. He had a feeling who that friend was. "It took a thousand miracles for us to meet again." She walked next to Keitaro and they made eye contact. "Will anyone here at Hinata Inn see you again?"

There was a long silence. The pair was very still while Masaru held back with his arms crossed.

"If I'm lucky, I will. If not, please tell them sorry in advance." Keitaro resumed his descent. "Enjoy the party, Tsuruko."

Keitaro grinned when he made it to the bottom. He told himself that he wouldn't look back and didn't. Then he felt a mix of all the pain and all the pleasure he's had over the past three years ever since he moved here. He was breaking his promise, that promise he made to that girl when he was only a child. Plus, at this rate, he'd probably never end up running an inn with Kanako.

Oh yeah, Kanako. And Aunt Haruka. And Grandma Hina. And his parents.

The girls don't need him, and his family… they'll miss him, but he's not needed in their lives. Right now, he wants to be selfish. He wants to find his own path. It's a good thing he met just the right guy to help him right before he attempted the Tokyo University entrance exams.

Tears are so distracting, aren't they?

X

_It was a great island that Seta recommended. Motoko relaxed under her umbrella as she watched the ocean waves flow back and forth. The soft breeze helped balance out the heat, though it was still fairly hot. She grabbed a handful of sand and let if fall between her fingers._

_ The best part was that there weren't any turtles anywhere on this island._

_ An arm wrapped around her as someone plopped down beside her. Hibiki, his short hair slicked back, gave her a peck on the cheek._

_ Motoko smiled as she locked hands with him. "I told you not to use any hair gel. It's going to get all washed away."_

_ He shrugged. "I need to look good whenever I can. Otherwise, I feel like I won't be able to satisfy a woman of high standards such as yourself." He turned his head with his best sad puppy look._

_ He got a light slap on the side of his head. "Shut up." He did get her to laugh, though, and a kiss on the lips afterward._

_ When they pulled back, Motoko raised an eyebrow when she spotted someone standing behind Hibiki. She raised herself and drew her sword. No one else was supposed to be on this beach. _

_ "Who are you?" she asked coldly._

_ The figure turned around. He held a familiar face, a face she saw every day, but it bore a small grin. It was a small grin full of compassion and sympathy that Hibiki could never recreate._

_ "Keitaro?" She felt anger, happiness, and guilt, in that order. Before she could act on those feelings, he turned and walked away._

_ "Become strong," he said. "Become stronger so that if I get back, we'll have the duel of a lifetime."_

_ Motoko wanted to scream, to say that he shouldn't be making demands or requests when he abandoned her and the rest. Then he said, "Think on you sins."_

Motoko rose up, breathing heavily. She was back in her room, back at the Hinata Inn, back with Hibi –

He wasn't in the room. Of course he wasn't. He was constantly off on one of the laptops Akira brought home, trying to find Keitaro. He always got up early each morning to work on his investigation. She missed Hibiki being the first thing she saw when she woke, but he treated his mission very seriously. It was obvious after he convinced Akira to teach him how to work around a computer that he was really dedicated on this.

Minutes later, she was in the kitchen. Just as she thought, her lover was sitting on a counter, dressed in his night clothes and fingers tinkering around a keyboard on a black laptop. He took another sip of coffee and handed Motoko a cup of her own. She took it and sat with him, not even bothering to see what crazy program he was working on this time.

"It's been almost a year," she said. "Why are you still going at this?"

"Correction: it's been about ten months since he left. No happy birthday by the way?" He finished his drink and dropped the cup into the sink. "And to answer your question… he probably resents us a bit, or a lot, but if Ren is any clue, I bet Keitaro would have tried to do everything in his power to find one of you if one of the girls up and left with only vague farewells."

Motoko thought on that. "I suppose he would…"

The door opened and walked in Masaru. His hair was also slicked back but longer than Hibiki's. "Stalker, Kendo Girl," he nodded to the pair.

Motoko's eyes and cheeks flared, but she's learned to deal with his antics and calmed herself. The comforting yet restraining hand on her shoulder helped, too.

"Morning, bro." Hibiki gave a little wave but didn't look up.

Masaru opened the refrigerator and leaned in to look through it. "We'll need to go on another grocery run." He closed it noisily. He was tired and irritated. "Why didn't Akira get anything on his way home yesterday?"

Hibiki shrugged. "No idea, no idea where he went actually. Could have been anywhere, could have been too tired or busy to make time to visit a market. Happy b-day by the way."

"Likewise." Masaru closed the laptop and smashed Hibiki's hands. Motoko had him pinned to the wall while Hibiki stared at the cracked screen on the floor. "Like I said, stalker." He ignored the intense stare the girl gave him. His brother then came to her side with a pissed off expression.

"Why don't you just friggin tell us where he went?"

"I don't know where," was the calm response. They went through this conversation weekly now.

"Why did he leave?"

"You all know why."

"Yes, but he only confided with you that he was leaving. Why?"

Masaru didn't have the energy to smirk. "He had all of those negative feelings bottled up. I was the best guy he could turn to while all of you pretty much ignored him."

Hibiki held up a finger. "If I recall, you played a part in 'stealing' Shinobu's heart." He gave a peck on Motoko's cheek when he noticed her eyelids lower a fraction.

"The original and me, I actually tried having a civilized talk with him. We reached an understanding. So did Shinobu. That's more than I can say for you, Stalker."

The once intense stare down had dwindled over the months into one where one pair of eyes was bored, disinterested and the other was lazily analyzing and cool.

Finally, Hibiki gave a pinch where Motoko wished he would stop pinching, forcing her to leap back. Then he clapped his hands and said, "I'll make myself more presentable and we'll go get those groceries." He picked up the broken laptop and examined it. "This is the third one, y'know."

"And Akira still manages to bring home new ones." Masaru dusted himself off and took the machine. "You have ten minutes before I leave your ass here." He left the room.

Motoko was glaring at his retreating backside when Hibiki swiped her off her feet and twirled around. When they stopped moving, they were leaning down, much like how Motoko often fantasized about Keitaro holding her. She allowed her partner to initiate their daily passionate kiss.

When their lips separated, they gazed into each other's' eyes. He lovingly gave her sweet nothings and she maintained a small blush. Once that was out of the way, however, he immediately straightened themselves and released their embrace. "But seriously, no happy birthday?"

Motoko sighed. She loved him, but he could act so childish sometimes. "We agreed that we'd celebrate it on Keitaro's birthday, remember?"

"Oh yeah, you're right. Well," Hibiki kneeled down and took something out of his pocket. "Off topic, I got something for you."

_Oh, I wonder what he – oh god, please don't let it be a wedding ring, please don't let it be a wedding ring, please don't let it be a wedding ring, please don't let it be a wedding –_

It was a pair of small, rectangular pieces of paper. "Two tickets to _An Exile's Creed 2: A War on Two Fronts_! You were in such a good mood after seeing the first one, so –"

She fainted anyway. Hibiki, half expecting this, carried her back to her room before changing and joining his brother. He was waiting right outside the entrance of the inn with Shinobu. They seemed to be deep in discussion on something before Hibiki made himself known.

Shinobu flushed a bit while Masaru was unimpressed. "More tight-fitting clothing?"

Hibiki gave a cocky smile. "Ladies, and a few guys, love it! It shows off my ass." He patted Shinobu's head, but she quickly pushed it away, redness fading. "Besides, you're one to talk. I took these out of your wardrobe."

"I only let you 'cause I grew out of those." Masaru zipped up his leather jacket. He was slightly bigger, taller, and more muscular than Hibiki. "You ungrateful little –"

"Sempai," Shinobu dragged a hand through her hair exasperatedly.

"- little freeloaders never return my stuff. And _I'm _supposed to be the evil one."

Hibiki tried not to look sheepish as he laughed and put his arms around the two. They all started walking down. "Now, now, we're all family here. Family forgives and forgets. That's why you aren't the evil one anymore. None of us are evil. We all love each other, right?"

Masaru tripped him, and he watched as Stalker tumbled down the steps. Screams and grunts of pain echoed over amused laughter. Shinobu allowed a grin to show itself.

Once she felt Hibiki was a suitable distance away, she turned to her sempai. "Why today? Why now?"

He frowned. "Look at him." She observed Hibiki land and stop moving, probably bruised and broken. Within seconds, he got back up but fell over. On his third try, he successfully recovered enough to stand on his own two feet and limped to a nice light pole to lean on. "Only Akira and I noticed the changes. It's disturbing us."

Shinobu slowly, very slowly, nodded. Then she put up a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "We better hurry up then. You and I will need to work on an extra special lunch." Her speed increased as she hopped down.

X

When Kanako woke up, she had a feeling that today would be a good day. Sure, today's the one year anniversary of the day those barely tolerable replicates were born, her parents decided to finally cut off all ties with Keitaro and refused to accept the contact information he sent, and Kanako's hired help still have absolutely no idea where he could be, but nonetheless, she had a good feeling.

She felt so good that she actually gave a polite greeting to Osamu when they got together to set up the café. Of course, he was extremely unnerved by this, but when he realized she wouldn't stop smiling, he went along with it. She and Mutsumi even held an actual conversation. Kanako responded with just as much energy instead of grunting or ignoring the girl. After she laughed at a joke Sarah shared, they found Osamu unconscious near the registers.

Since he was too scared of how Kanako would react to him, he sought the advice of Haruka. Then he remembered that she was out of the country with Seta. Before he could try finding one of his brothers, Kanako pulled him to the side.

"Osamu," she said. She wasn't hostile or neutral. She was civil and friendly.

"Y-Yes Manager?"

"I'll be taking a little holiday today. Can I trust you to take care of the café with Aunt Haruka gone?"

Whatever issues Osamu had with his timid personality, he always enjoyed the authority Kanako commanded. She made it clear what she wanted. People listened to her, and he needed a good role model of someone taking charge, getting past their insecurities to get things done. She and her brothers were ever so helpful.

He still flinched and nearly curled up when she said she wouldn't be working today. He grew reliant on that authority, and he wanted it to stay.

What made him stop were her eyes. Those eyes were always either indifference, annoyance, satisfaction, disapproval, hate, anger, or tried its best not to shed a single tear. Today, he could see happiness, the same kind of blissful, hopeful, and yearning happiness that could be broken at any moment. Osamu knows what those eyes were because he remembered seeing the original with them. He remembered watching Keitaro wander with those eyes, always at the clones. He saved the sadder looks for the girls.

And then he left, been gone for almost a year.

A part of Osamu told him to run and hide. Another said that Kanako deserved to use that happiness however she wanted. "Yes Manager. You can count on me." Osamu bowed respectfully.

He must have surprised her somehow because she raised an eyebrow, but she was still smiling. "Thank you, Osamu. I will return before nightfall. Close up at the usual time and have a nice day."

"You t-too, ma'am." He watched her leave. Sarah soon followed, muttering something about Kaolla owing her a banana. Mutsumi beckoned Osamu to help move some chairs, and he went to help.

Keitaro didn't announce his departure, but he left messages saying he would return. Kanako might not be so courteous, but in the end, it was her choice. Osamu had too much respect for her to complain.

X

Later in the day, everyone was at home eating a late lunch. Motoko and Hibiki were once again trying to convince Kitsune and Kaede to reveal the location of their special club. Akira, still wearing his mediocre green suit, ate calmly, unaffected by the antics of Kaolla. Sarah sat as far away as she could from Masaru while Osamu and Shinobu pretty much clung to him like leeches. Mutsumi took her food with happily while Ren and Naru…

They gave horribly dicreet smiles to each other as they ate. The other tenants of the Hinata Inn called them out at first, but they've learned to act ignorant of it, even if they played their little games. For example, Ren would spill some water on himself, and he and Naru would leave to the room. Naru would need to excuse herself to get a condiment or utensil someone requested, and Ren would say he needed to tinkle. They always came back disheveled and clothes messy. No one was amused except for the two lovers, but in time it became only a momentary distraction.

Just when Ren opened his mouth to say something, Akira spoke first. "Masaru and I have an announcement to make."

All conversations and chewing came to a halt. Akira rarely spoke during meals. To hear the man who's almost never at home speak out loud to everyone had quickly caught everyone's attention. And the fact that the resident trouble maker was also apparently involved in this? That only sweetened the deal.

He stood with a straight back and unnecessarily adjusted his glasses. "As you all may or may not know, one year ago from today, my brothers and I were born from the different aspects of Keitaro's personality."

Kaede's eyes widened. "Really, it's been a year? I think this calls for some champagne! Let's go and –"

"Shut up." He obeyed. "The each of us received his memories but only a fraction of his emotions, motives, and opinions. Any scars, disabilities, and medical conditions he had were transferred as well, including his rapid healing capabilities."

"His immortality," Masaru added, still seated. "Whatever made him survive so high in space and the crash landings, not to mention the regular bruises and cuts, we had it, too, but to a lesser extent."

"At first, we didn't heal as fast," Akira continued. "However, as time went on, it became as fast as Keitaro's." He turned to Kaede. "I started noticing this when you got that black eye last year. Remember that brawl with Bishop?"

The girls did not recognize the name, but apparently the boys did because every single one shivered a second after it was mentioned.

"That time, the eye healed in an hour. Yours took three, four days."

Masaru said, "Thing is that the Doc here thinks that our powers are developing too fast. For example –" He brought out a handgun from the innards of his jacket. Motoko had him disarmed and pinned on the floor before he could turn off the safety.

There was screaming, swearing, threats, and a lot of noise as a majority of the room's occupants backed themselves toward the exit but didn't leave. Akira didn't move from his spot and merely sighed. "Brother, I thought I told you to not draw a firearm in here."

"I got impatient, give me a break!"

Motoko shot a surprised look at Akira. "What is it that he planned to use the gun for?"

Akira clutched his forehead, closed his eyes, and shook his head. "He wanted to use it as a demonstration, but I told him not to use it during lunch."

"A demonstration for wha –"

"Ladies and gentleman," Akira turned to the panicked little group and spoke as if he was an exhausted school teacher talking to elementary students. "Could one of you escort Sarah outside and keep an eye on her? Seta would not like it if she witnessed this."

"Witness what?" the child hesitantly asked, still mesmerized that Psycho brought a gun. Then she looked back at Akira and saw a look that frightened her. The closest thing that could come close to it would be the sadistic, sick smile that chased her last year.

Shinobu, completely silent since the beginning, tugged her out while Naru started getting angry. "What the hell are you playing at, Akira?"

"Wanna know, sister?" Masaru said, still on the floor, "nine months ago, the original got hit by a shotgun shell straight to the chest."

A multitude of gasps, questioning "Huh?"s and the sound of Osamu fainting and hitting the floor.

Masaru just scoffed. "Oh, that's right, you were all too busy ignoring him to even bother with giving Keitaro the courtesy of saying hello when he came back that night."

"You're lying," Ren accused, but his voice was wobbly. "He would have told us."

"Were you listening back then? I don't think so."

Motoko raised his head and dropped it back down with a push. "Explain." She was trying to remember how Keitaro was acting before he left and… she couldn't recall. He was always in the corner of her vision or nowhere to be found. She never tried seeking his company, too busy occupied with Hibiki.

Akira folded his hands behind his back. "There was an unforeseen side effect when I fired the flux gun. The potential of Keitaro's immortality was fully unlocked."

"Unlocked?" Kitsune whispered, still confused and wary over the current situation.

"Any wounds, any illness, it was always healed or cured almost immediately for him." He turned to Kaede. "Men came looking for you the day after you came home with the black eye. They demanded an exorbitant amount of money from me, assuming I was you." Kaede winced and refused to look up, shame building inside. "Keitaro, Shinobu, Masaru, and I fled the Hinata Inn. As my brother said, Keitaro was shot in the chest. He got back up a few seconds later with no visible sign of him ever getting hit except for the torn and bloodied shirt."

"That's a load of bull!" Kaede cried. "You can't possibly be serious about this." He wanted to sound skeptical, but there was an edge in his voice that screamed desperation.

"Then allow me to demonstrate." Before anyone could protest, Akira picked up the discarded pistol and shot himself in the forehead.

Ren fainted and fell into Naru's arms. She was only absently holding him as her eyes were transfixed on the still body and blood stained glasses. Kitsune and Kaede were clutching each other, too scared move. Mutsumi had her eyes and mouth wide open. Kaolla and Hibiki were dead silent. Even Motoko was paralyzed, loosening her grip on Masaru and allowing him to get up.

He stopped counting when Akira sat up.

"What the hell?" everyone's favorite avid drinkers muttered.

Akira tossed his spectacles away and rubbed his forehead, wiping away the crimson as best as he could.

"Last time we tried this, it took us one minute to recover." Everyone looked toward Masaru. "This time, it only took ten seconds."

"Did you really have to do something so graphic?" Hibiki murmured just loud enough to be heard.

"It was the best way to convince you," Akira said. "You can't deny evidence right in front of you."

"And why did you feel the need to inform us of this one year after we were created?" Hibiki had a hostile tone, not unlike the one Masaru liked to use to intimidate others.

"At this rate, we'll stop aging."

"Stay young forever? Sounds like a hell of a deal." He was mad, and when Hibiki was mad, he spoke sarcastically and condescendingly.

"To stay young forever and to watch Motoko wither and die? Yeah, a hell of a deal."

Hibiki didn't talk back this time.

"We can't die; not of all age, starvation, drowning, poison, incineration, Masaru and I have tried everything. We always heal. Energy, I don't know from where, but energy was transferred into us and it is keeping us alive for all of eternity." His voice grew louder with each passing second. "You just saw me shrug off a bullet in my brain. Do you get it now? We are really, truly immortal and can never die. Everyone else in the world is going to rot away while all we do is survive!" Akira was shouting by the end of his explanation, and he panted as he looked away from the scared, confused eyes.

Naru stared at her boyfriend in her arms. The realization was making its way in. She could spend the rest of her life with Ren, but he couldn't spend the rest of his with her. They wouldn't grow old together, and their children would ask why daddy looked so young. Ren would stay how he looked right now forever.

Motoko went to hug Hibiki, but he didn't hug back. Instead, he said, "Alright, you don't want to live forever. Neither do I, so what have you been planning for this?"

Akira was still trying to catch his breath, so Masaru answered. "Keitaro had plenty of reasons to leave this place. One of them was to find out how he could help us."

"Why would he want to help us, his copies that took his place?" Motoko clutched him harder.

"No matter what's happened, he still loves the girls. It'd be a shame if their boy toys didn't get to age at the same rate as their future wives." Masaru smirked at the very small blushes, but Hibiki wasn't done yet.

"How exactly did Keitaro plan to help us?"

"He called up Bishop, took him up on his offer."

Hibiki paused. "Don't lie to me."

Masaru chuckled. "I'm not."

"You knew where he was then, all this time."

"Never a location, we just knew that wherever Keitaro was, he couldn't be far behind."

Hibiki gently removed Motoko from him and walked up to Masaru. Their stare down resumed with a lot more intensity. "So Keitaro's fully immortal, eternally young, and when he found out his brothers would become the same, he tried to find something to stop it?"

"In a nutshell, yeah."

"Is that what he's been doing ever since he left?"

"Yes."

"Who else knew?"

"Just me, Akira, and Shinobu. We stayed in touch, but he didn't want to be followed. Satisfied yet?"

"No." Hibiki leaned closer and gave a patronizing smile. "What has he found then?"

Masaru's firm stand slightly weakened. "Keitaro and Bishop were due to arrive ten minutes ago with their findings. They're late, and Bishop is a very punctual person." He didn't move back when Hibiki became close enough to feel each other's breaths.

Sarah ran into the room. "Guys, the dork is back! He's here and –"

She saw the blood, the frightened expressions, and did not know what to do. She wasn't even sure if they heard her since everyone was frozen.

Still unsure what was happening, she said, "Ugh… he has a friend with him that's bleeding…"

"Well then," Masaru licked his lips and showed off his fangs. "Time to say hello to brother Keitaro, isn't it?"


	2. Chapter 2

_ Masaru was hanging by a thread on the side of the Hinata Inn, blood rushing to his head. A rope, probably intended to hang him, was wrapped around his ankle. Kanako was standing on the terrace and holding on to the cord._

_ "You do realize that I'll survive this fall, right?" Masaru called out._

_ "Where did my brother go?" he heard her shout._

_ "Which one? I need specifics, sister." He suddenly felt like his genitals were set on fire. It must have been that wooden pole Kanako beat him with._

_ "I only have one brother. Tell me where he is."_

_ "He doesn't want anyone to follow him." He almost said sister again, but he didn't want to risk another hit to the balls. _

_ "I don't care," she hissed. "Tell me, now." She pulled him slightly upward, increasing the distance between him and the ground. "You'll heal, but you can still feel pain."_

_ What Kanako didn't realize was that she brought Masaru close enough to the terrace ledge for him to pull on the rope and bring himself back on solid ground. He landed right behind her and wrapped the rope around her neck. He kicked her legs and she fell to her knees. One hand maintained the chokehold and held her hands behind her back while the other stroked her cheek._

_ "He still loves you," Masaru whispered into her ear. "Just not in the way you want him to." She doubled her efforts to break free. "Me though… Mr. Evil Keitaro here is willing to fulfil your deepest, darkest wishes. Like you said, you only have one brother, but I'm the closest thing you're ever gonna get."_

_ Finally, Kanako turned the tables on him. They switched positons, her choking him now. "Don't you even dare try. No one could ever replace Keitaro. You are just an incomplete copy, a fake that shouldn't exist."_

_ "There's a reason we chose our own names," Masaru said through clenched teeth, "but it doesn't matter that we're clones. What matters is that we're alive, making our own goddamn decisions. It was the original's decision to leave, and it was mine to help."_

_ "I don't care!" She pulled harder. "Just tell me where my brother is and I will stop."_

_ "I… I guess… Plan A wasn't the best choice…" he stopped moving. He stopped breathing, actually. Kanako let go, and his body fell forward. She was about to check if he just lost consciousness when she fell back. She leaned on the fence and felt tears roll down her cheeks._

_ A part of her had accepted that Keitaro would never become her lover, but she always expected him to be within an arm's length away. He was always there for her, so she wanted to always be there for him. Then he goes and says that she doesn't need her big brother. He says that Kanako is a strong, mature girl and can take care of herself. She begs him not to leave her behind, asks to come herself, but then their parents just had to banish him away from the household. She tried looking for him, but all she found were letters and presents left for her._

_ They served as compensation and reminders; compensation for the broken promises and reminders that Keitaro, despite her glorification of him, is only a single human being with faults and failures. He said she didn't need him, but she did. He said he needed help from an old friend, but she could have been the one to help. Bishop couldn't be trusted, not after… that incident…_

_ Masaru wouldn't talk. So, she resorted to alternative methods of persuasion. He continued to resist, and the other tenants intervened. She disabled them and chased him to the roof._

_ Then he started flirting, making sexual jokes. She tried to ignore it, but when he touched her cheek, gave a peck on the lips, breathed into her ear, it became too much like one of her dreams._

_ Kanako, hugging her knees, watched Masaru get back to his feet. He took in slow, deep breaths as he cracked his neck. Then he turned around to face her. He kneeled down. _

_ "Sorry," he said without sounding sorry. "You can try all you want, but he doesn't want to be found."_

_ "Why'd he leave me behind?" she murmured. "I love him."_

_ Masaru punched the ground, startling her. "That's the damn problem. You've grown too dependent on the original. Guess what sunshine? People break hearts and break promises all the time. Keitaro's no exception." He stood up. "You're a smart girl. Marrying your brother and living happily forever after is not something that will ever happen. Find another goal in life that's more realistic."_

_ She really needed someone to tell her that out loud. _

_He grabbed her chin, but the action lacked any roughness or flirtations. He simply examined any injuries on her face. "You promised him that you'd take care of the Hinata Inn, didn't you? You're the new manager, but there were a set of restrictions he put for you, and you broke those rules in half an hour." Masaru let go and walked away. "Cry all you want, fight all you want, but you need to be patient if you ever want to see dear brother Keitaro ever again."_

X

On Kanako's birthday, she found a large amount of money left on her futon. A small piece of paper said, "Happy birthday, from family and friends." It had Keitaro's and Bishop's signatures.

Such monetary gain could never really lift her spirits. However, maybe Keitaro predicted that she would develop a habit of periodically going on incessant shopping trips. The money along with the regular caches he sends help fund this hobby. She usually just ends up giving most of the items she buys to the tenants of the inn, but it's a nice distraction.

Kanako held her hands to her sides, clutching multiple bags filled with clothing. She strolled down with a rare smile past Hinata Lake. Her good feeling had yet to evaporate, and she was relishing every second of it. If it weren't for the sound of footsteps behind her, she would have made a fool of herself and start skipping. A juvenile thought, but people always told her she was very cold and mature, setting aside childish activities. However, that good feeling was nipping at the walls she set in. The result was a struggling, confused conflict, but the bright, hopefulness was still there.

That was when she noticed something odd. The footsteps behind her were in sync with her own. She slowed down her pace, and the stranger did the same. Kanako flipped her head around with a questioning gaze. The sight her eyes met made her halt completely.

The stranger following her was a tall young man, probably not much older than Kanako. He was a head taller than her. His hands lay casually inside the pockets of a navy blue leather duster. Underneath, he wore darker colored dress pants, dress shoes, a vest, a tie, and a white collared shirt. The figure had a Caesar haircut and a dark, tanned complexion. He smiled cordially.

"You've improved. I thought we'd get closer to the Inn before you caught on." He spoke in English with a raspy British accent. One would think he had a sore throat, but Kanako knew better. He always sounded like that.

"Where the hell is he?" she asked, her voice barely audible.

"Here's my proposal," he replied as he revealed his bandaged hands before folding them behind his back. "We spare, right here. Regardless of the outcome, if we're both still alive, I'll indulge you with his location. Deal?" She dropped her bags and became a blur.

Beating the hell out of Bishop should be quite therapeutic after a year of restraining herself.

X

With Ren and Osamu still unconscious and everyone still shaken up by Akira's revelation, only Hibiki, Motoko, and Masaru dared to follow Sarah into the lobby. A pale figure was lying on the couch. She wore jeans and a Doctor Who T-shirt. Hibiki focused on her wound, a large scratch on her lower right leg. It seemed that someone had sliced through the fabric and skin but didn't cut in too deep. Shinobu was kneeling beside her and doing what she could to help. A first aid kit was sitting on the coffee table.

"Where'd the dork go?" Sarah asked quietly. Hibiki shifted his gaze to the unknown girl's face. Her face was a bit rounded and very pale. Her short, unkempt, and unusually white hair hung a bit above her eyebrows. Bright, blue eyes looked back at him.

"The toilet," Shinobu said absently, engrossed in her work.

"And to whom may we be so lucky have in our home?" Hibiki asked with a grin, making himself comfortable on a nearby chair. Motoko stood next to him while Sarah remained by Shinobu's side. Masaru, well aware of the American's fear of him, kept his distance.

"Adanne," the newcomer answered, closing her eyes for a moment. "I'm Adanne."

Hibiki nodded when Motoko, nervous and cautious, spoke up. "What is your relation to Urashima, Adanne?"

Masaru chimed in before she could utter another word. "Now, now, Kendo girl, our guest here is injured. Before you start interrogating her, how about we see if she needs anything?" Sarah backed away as he approached the couch. "Urashima Masaru, at your service." He grabbed her hand and left a kiss.

In return, he got a light slap on the head. It wasn't meant to damage, though. It was a playful one. Adanne gave a small smile. "So you're the little Psycho that Keitaro loves so much."

"The one and only," Masaru bowed. He waved a hand toward his companions. "You've met Sarah and Shinobu. This is Motoko and my brother Hibiki, the Stalker."

She looked at "stalker" with questioning eyes. "You're the guy that's been tracking us?"

Hibiki frowned. "So you know I've been trying to find Keitaro."

She rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and I find it a bit disturbing that some asshole keeps trying to found out what me and my friends do for a living."

He shrugged. "I was worried about my brother. Family's important."

"Speaking of which," Akira interrupted, walking in without his glasses, "is there anything you need, Adanne? Water, food?"

"Nah, but thanks for the offer," she said, resting an arm on her forehead. She looked back to Motoko. "You're the sword wielder, right?"

Motoko raised an eyebrow. "Does Urashima speak of me?"

"Not often, but he mentions bits and pieces of his tenure as manager here."

"… What has he said about me?"

"Nothing bad if that's what you're asking. He's always smiling whenever he talks about one of the Hinata girls."

"All done," Shinobu said as she patted Adanne's bandaged leg. The younger girl proceeded to put away her medical supplies.

Motoko was about to ask her how she learned how to treat a leg injury, but Akira eyed the bandage with curiosity and irritation. "Is the thing that injured you the reason you're late, Adanne?"

She gave him a cheeky smile. "Are you cross with me, Akira?"

"Yes I am. Where the hell is Bishop?"

Adanne lost her cheerful demeanor. "Someone caught his eye. Don't know who it was, he just up and left and said he'd be late."

"And how did you get hurt?"

"We were followed. Asshole got in a good hit. We made sure we covered our tracks, though."

Akira nodded, satisfied that she was straight to the point. "What have you found concerning our conditions?"

"Not much," a voice said. It could have only belonged to one person. Heads turned, and there stood the boy who had been gone for ten months.

Keitaro looked like he hadn't aged at all. He almost looked younger than his clones. He wore a black hoodie and grey sweatpants. He retained the same hairstyle, but his glasses were replaced with shades. As Keitaro walked through the doorway, he took them off and revealed brown, tired eyes. He and Motoko exchanged a look, and he gave a very small smile.

"Have you been training, Motoko?" he asked.

She nodded, still dazed with the fact that he was finally here. Akira went and shook Keitaro's hand. Masaru dragged Shinobu and forced the four into a giant bear hug. Adanne giggled at the sight while Hibiki crossed his arms.

Once the embrace was over, Sarah sneaked between them and kicked Keitaro's shin. He saw her bustling tears and wrapped his arms around her. She held on tightly.

"Did you really miss a dork like me?"

"Sh-shut up… you suck…"

Sarah often found Keitaro annoying, and the feeling was mutual. One day, when they were alone at the Hinata Inn, he gave her an offer: take part in a prank war. If Sarah won, he would become her personal slave for a month. If he won, she would have to finally treat him with respect.

In the end, she had to concede defeat. Sarah had to admit that Keitaro had a mischievous side. Kaede was living prove of that. From that day forth, she still treated him like dirt, but it was more in a playful, teasing manner. To her adolescent mindset, he would always be a dork. However, there was more to him than meets the eye. Papa must have seen something in Keitaro that sparked his interest. Sarah simply found something that sparked hers.

She didn't realize just how much she liked the dork when he left.

"Did you like my present, Sarah?"

"No," she simply said, trying to stop the tears. "Almost everyone had their own Keitaro. Why couldn't I have my own?"

He gave a soft laugh as he patted her head. "Always the self-centered one, aren't you?"

"And you're supposed to always help us, no matter what! That's your job! It's not the same if you're not here!"

Keitaro forced the young girl's arms off of him and placed his hands on her shoulders. They stared into each other's eyes for a second. "I was never good with apologies."

"Then how about you just say sorry!"

She froze when she felt a quick kiss on her forehead. "I'm sorry for leaving." She became subject to his warm embrace once more before he stood up. Sarah remained by his side, clutching his arm.

"Motoko… should I say sorry to you as well?"

She missed him so much, but now that he was only a few feet away from her, her mind just went blank. "… I'd like one, yes."

He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "Could we gather everyone else for this? The girls, Aunt Haruka, Seta, and Kanako; it'd be easier if we do it all at once."

Masaru wrapped a comradely arm around his long-lost brother. "Kanako's out shopping. Auntie and her boyfriend are out of town on some romantic getaway."

Keitaro frowned and unconsciously messed up Sarah's hair. "We need to talk to Seta regarding our conditions. Where'd they go?"

"No idea," Hibiki spoke up, hands folded together. "Remember me, bro?"

Keitaro was silent for a moment. "Hibiki, was it?"

"Yup." He got to his feet. "And you are not going to leave until you explain yourself to the girls and your other brothers."

"Of course."

"Auntie and Seta are due back at the end of the month. That means you'll be staying here for three weeks. Understand?"

"Oh, I see," Keitaro replied after thinking a bit. "You want to interrogate me, don't you? Find out just what the hell the original's been up to."

"Oh yes." They exchanged smirks. "It's something I should have done a long time ago."

"You mean communicate with me instead of ignoring me?"

"… Yes."

Adanne threw a pillow at the two. "Oi, Keitaro, have you forgotten about me?"

Keitaro looked at her and let out a gasp of surprise. "Adanne? How did you get here?"

"You showed me how to get here, you idiot!"

"Oh yes, of course!" He kneeled beside her and lowered his head in shame. "I'm so sorry for neglecting you."

"Did you forget that I was here?" she huffed.

"What? No, no, of course I didn't! How could I ever forget such a beautiful sight such as yourself?"

"Don't you dare lie to me face, Keitaro. How could you ignore little ol' me?" She was pouting, and Keitaro was still on the ground, begging for forgiveness.

"This your new girlfriend, original?" Hibiki asked with a raised an eyebrow.

Adanne smirked at him. "Wife, actually."

"Wife?" Motoko and Sarah shrieked.

Keitaro sighed. "Long story." Then he went back to groveling.

The atmosphere turned from sorrowful to awkward in a matter of seconds.

Akira checked his watch. "Perhaps I should gather the rest of the tenants? They'll probably want to learn how you have been living and what you know of our immortality."

Keitaro rose and nodded to his brother. "Sounds like a plan." Akira left. Keitaro sat on another chair. Sarah snuggled into him when Masaru approached the pair. Motoko still had her mouth open and was standing alone in the middle of the room. Hibiki hugged her, gave a kiss, and held her hand.

"I think this is uncomfortable for everyone," he said quietly. "How do you feel?"

"Uncomfortable," she agreed. "I… I am unsure how I feel toward Urashima."

"Well," Hibiki drawled out, "maybe guilt and regret for forsaking him and the abuse you put him through?"

"… That's not really helping me here."

"Just trying to add focus." He gave another peck. "Me, though? I'm more concerned about this 'immortality' thing we have. I'm hoping he'll ignore that argument we had when we last talked."

"I feel like I should say something to him, but I don't know –" She paused. "What argument?"

"Tell ya later."

Soon afterward, Akira led the rest of the Inn' residents, fully conscious and awake, into the lobby. Eyes were directed to Keitaro, and one by one, each pair widened, especially Kitsune's. Kaede stared in amazement. He never thought he would ever come back. Kaolla and Mutsumi refused to let go of their hold on their favorite clones. Osamu looked on with an unreadable expression. Ren stood next to Naru, both still as statues.

Keitaro waved and smiled without any hesitation or nervousness. "Nice to see everyone again!"

No response.

"Ugggh… I apologize for the abrupt departure and not staying in contact?"

Still no response.

"Um, have any of you gotten married yet?"

Finally, after an eternity of unanswered questions, the girls rushed in and hugged him tightly. There were screams of, "He's finally back! I'm so sorry!" and shouts of, "Why did you leave? Did you not like us anymore?"

After he pulled himself free, Keitaro backed away, confused. "Did you guys really miss me that much?"

They nodded, but he saw Naru hesitate ever so slightly. "Okay, but… why?" Anticipating another round of yelling and screaming, he said, "After two months, you made it clear I wasn't needed, even if you didn't realize it yourselves. Here we are, a year later, and the Inn' still standing without my help."

Kitsune punched his arm. "You're our friend! Why wouldn't we miss you?"

"Yeah, I knew you'd feel bad about it, but you each had someone who could dedicate their whole lives with you. What could part could I play?" Thus, a slew of responses followed.

"You were always there to take care of me when I was too drunk or too poor to pay rent!"

"Motoko and Akira are really busy these days. Keitaro used to be there to play with me."

"Whenever I fainted, I usually woke up to see Keitaro, and we would eat watermelons together. You helped keep me stay safe."

"I loved you!"

Everyone looked at Naru for a second. Most were questioning gazes, but Ren looked horrified. She ran outside, and he followed her.

Keitaro rubbed his eyes, disappointed with the answers. "I was hoping you would have moved on by now," he trailed off.

"Alright!" Akira said loudly, catching everyone's attention. "Keitaro and his companions are here to assist with finding a treatment for our healing abilities. Professor Seta's input is required, but we currently do not have any means to contact him. I made sure of that."

Keitaro crossed his arms. "You mean you made sure none of us could even find a hint of where he might be?"

"Yes. You will have to stay and reside in the Hinata Inn until he and Aunt Haruka return at the end of the month."

Keitaro ran an exasperated hand through his hair. "So this is how you want to play it?"

"Yes it is."

"Keitaro's going to be staying here again?" Kaolla questioned with sparkles in her eyes.

Akira patted her head. "Yes he is."

She let out a cry of happiness with Mutsumi. Before they could get carried away with their cheering, Kaede directed a question to Keitaro. "Where have you been all this time?"

A pause. "Been traveling a bit, around the world. Finding a countermeasure for immortality is tougher than I thought."

"Right… um… were you really shot with a shotgun?"

Keitaro did not outwardly display any anger, declaring Kaede's prediction false. "Yeah, that was an adventure." He narrowed his eyes a fraction. "You don't have any more debts, do you?"

Kaede waved his hands frantically. "No, no, man, I've got a legit job at that club, remember? It's all legal, no shay guys with guns. I'm really sorry about that."

A shrug. "Water under the bridge. No hard feelings, right?" He outstretched a hand forward. They shook, and Kaede let out a sigh of relief.

"Keitaro, ugh," Kitsune began, but he held up a hand.

"I'm sure there's a lot we all want to say, but do you have any food to spare?"

"No!" she snapped, "You don't just get to be missing for almost a year and pop back like nothing's happened. You still need to explain yourself fully."

"Oh, but Keitaro's really here," Mutsumi interjected. "We should be celebrating." Kaolla and Sarah nodded at the proposal.

"Mutsumi, I need to get back to the café," Osamu said, glancing at an overhead clock. She did the same and slowly nodded. He didn't exactly want to go through a talk with Keitaro at the moment. Osamu walked pass everyone, but Keitaro held him firmly on his shoulder.

"Got rid of that stutter?" he politely asked.

"Only when I'm really nervous or scared," Osamu said with a hint of pride and a side of defensiveness.

He got a pat on the shoulder. "Good man. Keep it up, and you'll be able to fully overcome your timidness. If I did it, so could you." Osamu nodded and went on his way.

"Really? Keitaro Urashima conquering his inner most insecurities?"

Kitsune and Mutsumi finally noticed Adanne on the couch, waving her hands in the air.

"Adanne? Since when did you get he –"

"I've been here the entire time you ass!"

"Who is this?" Kitsune interrupted, glaring at the pale girl with hostility.

Adanne smirked at her. "I'm his wife."

Masaru quickly left as well, not wanting to hear the shouting match that would probably ensue after the loud, "WHAT? KEITARO GOT MARRIED?"

X

Ren panted as he approached Naru. She was sitting on a bench in the Hinata Park, observing the old sandbox. Knowing how sporadic she could be, he stopped short and didn't sit next to her.

"Naru," he breathed out, "why are you out here?"

"That promise," she murmured. "Me, Mutsumi, Keitaro… Keitaro and I were meant to live happily ever after…"

Ren was silent, waiting for her to continue.

"Do you remember?" she asked him without facing him. "Do you still remember?"

He let out a hesitant chuckle. "Of course I do. It's the reason we got to meet each other again, right?" Ren froze as Naru got up and softly clutched his cheeks. They stared for a while. Eventually, she started crying, and he leaned in to hug her.

"I'm always here for you," he said softly. "For anything, anything you want."

"You're not him," she whispers, "so don't try to be. You're not Keitaro."

"Damn right he isn't." Naru didn't react, but Ren turned his head to glare at the brother he disliked the most.

"Not now, Masaru. Just leave, please."

He pretended to consider the suggestion. "Nah, I'm good. You know me; I love watching others suffer and lose their composure."

Ren gritted his teeth. Boy did he want to punch him in the face, but Naru needed someone with her at the moment. He decided to ignore him.

"So, Naru, the soon-to-be-wife of Ren Urashima is in love with the runt she ditched for Suck-Up here?"

Normally, Naru would be trying to send Masaru flying while Ren tried to hold her back. This time, however, she looked at the rude young man with fiery, wet eyes. "Shut up!" Then she ran away again.

The fact she didn't deny Masaru's claim disturbed Ren greatly.

"You want my advice? Let the bitch go." He dodged a punch Ren flimsily delivered.

"Why do always have to try to destroy everything?" Ren yelled. "Why do you have to butt into everyone else's business?"

A smirk. "Got a problem with it?"

Another punch, but someone blocked it this time. Ren didn't care and threw his other fist. Immediately, he was backhanded and stumbled away. On the bright side, he was awoken from his blind rage and allowed his blurred vision to focus on the newcomer.

First Keitaro, now Bishop. Was anyone else that Ren never wanted to see again going to make an appearance?

Bishop was older, but other than that, he looked exactly the same as he did all those years ago. At least he was smiling. That meant he wasn't angry with Ren for anything.

"So which clone are you?"

"Errr, Ren. I'm Ren."

"I'm Bishop. Remember me?"

Sweat was going down both boys' faces, but Ren spotted blood flowing down Bishop's. The sight of Akira's suicide and subsequent revival still fresh in his memory, Ren shuddered and backed away. "Are y-you okay?"

Masaru tackled Akira from behind. They collided with Ren and the three fell into the sandbox. Ren managed to spot a figure landing where they had stood. One it rose, the sun shone on the face of Kanako Urashima. She, on the other hand, was sheer ferocity.

Masaru helped Ren up while Bishop blocked an uppercut. "Can't beat me, sweetie." He kicked her away and assumed a defensive stance. "How about we call a ceasefire?"

"Where is my brother?"

"Y'know, repetition of the question does nothing to help motivate me to tell you."

Ren watched them go back and forth in bemusement as he turned to Masaru. "What is happening?" he asked.

"Bishop's here to help with our immortality," he whispered back. "Ms. Perfectionist must have run into him and demanded answers."

Ren's eyes widened. "Wait, you mean Keitaro left us and went to… _Bishop_ of all people?"

Masaru was perplexed at the incredulous tone. "Ugh, yeah?"

"Really?"

"What, you got something against Bish –" a body, Bishop's, crashed into Masaru and allowed Ren to witness the two dig themselves into the sand. When Ren turned to look at Kanako, she was inches from his face.

"Is Keitaro here, inside the inn?"

_So cold, _Ren thought. "In the lobby, yes." He blinked, and she was already out of sight.

Seeing how Masaru's upper body was buried and Bishop was coughing out sand, Ren abandoned them to look for Naru.

Keitaro must have reopened old wounds in Naru. Ren could relate with that. Bishop reminded him of a few bad memories.


	3. Chapter 3

_Not too long after Keitaro left, everyone noticed that Shinobu had gotten very quiet._

_ Aside from cooking, washing dishes, and doing laundry, she was rarely seen throughout the Inn. She no longer participated in any shenanigans Kaolla proposed. Motoko found herself alone during their weekly tea sessions. Naru had more free time on her hands after Shinobu stopped coming to those periodic tutoring lessons. Whenever Kitsune tried to make her feel flustered or embarrassed, she merely shrugged off any attempt made._

_ Sarah found alcoholic drinks in Shinobu's room. Haruka decided it was time for an intervention._

_ While most of the boys were with Mutsumi on a visit to the Otohime family and Kanako was out shopping, Masaru stayed behind. He was leaning by the Inn entrance when Shinobu came home from school._

_ "They want answers," he simply stated, drawing another cigarette out of his coat._

_ She sighed. "They won't just leave me alone, will they?"_

_ "Nope." He took out his lighter and gave a salute of support. "Have fun."_

_ Shinobu tightened her hold on the strap of her shoulder bag. Taking in a deep breath, she walked in. _

_She paid no mind to the stares and took a free seat in the lobby. Retrieving her notes, she placed a notebook on the coffee table and another on her lap. She began her work and continued her pretense of ignorance. _

_ Someone tried to grab her pad of papers. Annoyed, she slapped the hand away with her book._

_ "What the heck, Shinobu?" Apparently, it was Kitsune who tried to disturb her._

_ "Shinobu," Haruka's voice made the teenager look up. "I think you know why we're here." Everyone's face was a mix of worry, concern, and hurt._

_ "What happened to you?" Kaolla blurted out. "Why don't you spend any more time with us?"_

_ Shinobu popped a piece of candy into her mouth. The way she seemed disinterested in the current situation further perturbed her companions. "I've been occupied with a lot of stuff."_

_ "You've been spending quite a lot of time with Masaru," Motoko pointed out. "You've been inheriting some undesirable traits of his."_

_ "And you've allowed Hibiki to start sleeping in your room. A lot more can be deduced from that."_

_ "Yes, and that snarky comment is something Masaru would say." Motoko's face was a very light pink, but Shinobu stood, or rather sat, her ground._

_ "How are your grades, Shinobu?" Naru asked with an unsure tone. "We haven't gotten together to go over your studies in a while."_

_ She shrugged. "I'm doing fine. If I need help, Akira personally checks my work."_

_ The girls were perplexed at this. Shinobu and Akira have never been seen exchanging a single word. _

_ "Occasionally, he and I cross paths when he leaves to meet up with a headhunter. We got to get to know each other better."_

_ Naru nodded. "Okay, but why don't you come to me when you need a helping hand?"_

_ "Whenever you do, there's this weird thumping noise and moaning in your bedroom."_

_ Haruka was starting think Shinobu's plan was to get the older girls to be overwhelmed with blushes and embarrassment after she made a comment about Kitsune's fetish with suits and the way she saw Kaede and Akira go off each morning. So, the secondary Hinata matriarch decided to butt in._

_ "Shinobu, you've been intentionally avoiding all of us. Don't try to deny it." The petite girl was silent. Haruka softened her eyes and lowered her voice. "Is this because of Keitaro?"_

_ No one expected a hearty come out of the short girl. She even had to swipe away a tear as she calmed down. "I know I should have known that you would think that was the reason, but actually hearing someone say it is just, just –" and the snickering continued._

_ The transition from detachment to pure joy to mild amusement flowed quickly. It was hard for the girls to keep up._

_ "Well," Shinobu said, looking to the ceiling with a smile, "ever since Keitaro left, I've had a lot of free time on my hands. I decided to try out some new things. That's why I've been so busy."_

_ "Define 'new things'," Kitsune asked with a raised eyebrow._

_ Shinobu revealed the contents of the page she was engrossed with: a detailed drawing of the Hinata Inn. "Keitaro left me his sketchbook. I've been practicing for myself. He also left me a list of a few people to talk to if ever needed a teacher for anything." _

_She put a hand through her bag and brought out a yellow notepad. She flipped through the pages before finding her list. _

_ "Master Splinter: martial arts and ninjutsu master. Raul Alfonso Tejada: mechanic and ex-gunslinger. Dante Abandonato: professional chef and ex-military. Fukui Naoki: skilled artist and –"_

_ "F-fukui?" Motoko stuttered._

_ "- Motoko's brother-in-law," Shinobu finished off with a smirk._

_ "H-how does Urashima know the n-name of my sister's husband?" Motoko questioned. She didn't like the glint in the younger girl's eyes._

_ "Believe or not, they knew each other long before he became our manager."_

_ "What? Really?"_

_ "That's what he said in his letter. They grew apart, but they reconnected soon after Keitaro left the Inn."_

_ While Motoko had her jaw hanging in astonishment, Haruka asked, "So you've gotten into contact with these people, learning what you can from them."_

_Shinobu nodded. "It's been a very educational run! But it's busy work. That's why I'm never around nowadays."_

_ Kaolla was unsatisfied. "But… you can't find time to play with me, or any of us?"_

_ "Nope!" was the energetic response. "Like I said, busy work!"_

_ Haruka crossed her arms. "And how do you explain the sake in your room?"_

_ "That crap's mine." Masaru walked in while finishing a bottle and setting it on the front desk. "You oughta get tougher locks for your storage units, Auntie." Haruka frowned but didn't hit him. It didn't irk her as much when one of the clones called her "Auntie" than when Keitaro did. _

_ Naru glared at him. "Why are you keeping alcohol in Shinobu's room?"_

"_Her room's the closest to mine, and she's had more space once we got rid of her stuffed animals."_

_ "How do we know a pervert like you isn't doing anything inappropriate to –"_

_ There was a clanging sound, and Masaru fell forward on top of the coffee table. There was a noticeable red bump on the back of his head. Shinobu slowly rose from behind where he was standing. She was holding a frying pan above her head. "I can take care of myself," she plainly said with an innocent smile._

Where did she get that pan?_ the girls thought with a sweat drop._

_ "You don't need to keep worrying about me. I'm flattered, and I love you all, but I just don't have the time." Shinobu began to pack her things._

_ Kitsune tried to stop her. "Now hold on, Shinobu. We still need to –"_

_ "Talk? Sorry, hun," Kitsune flinched back, "time and tide wait for no one. I have a report to finish by midnight." Shinobu stopped for a second to kick Masaru's leg. He groaned, and she made her way out. "I'll have dinner ready by six."_

_ Motoko made a motion to stop her, but someone grabbed her ankle. Motoko turned and kicked Masaru's nose. She ignored his curses, but Haruka stopped her this time._

_ "Let her be," she said. "Shinobu has a right to keep to herself."_

_ "But –"_

_ "She can do whatever she wants." Haruka grabbed Masaru's fallen head and leveled his eyes with hers. "You're being a good big brother, aren't you?"_

_ She got used to his creepy smiling, disturbing expression, and he got used to the way Haruka could just stare into your soul. They still held their battle of wills anyway. "Yes I am, Auntie." Haruka released her grip and his faced smashed down once more._

_ The rest of the tenants were unsatisfied. Sarah said, "But Aunt Haruka –"_

_ "No, just," Haruka sighed. "We all changed after Keitaro left. A lot's happened, and we all have our ways of coping. This is the happiest we've seen Shinobu be. Let's let her do what she has to do."_

_ All of the girls were flabbergasted. "But –" _

_Her stare still affected them, though. They accepted the decision. As a result, Shinobu grew more and more distant. She was still family, but she more like a family member whose name you'd recall but you'd have no idea why you remember her._

_ Shinobu became another mystery, just like the disappearance of Urashima Keitaro._

X

"You have a wife?" the girls repeated, glancing back and forth between the two wedding rings. They sat in a half circle in the lobby across from Adanne. Keitaro was eating a dish Shinobu made especially for him. He sat on a stool next to Adanne. Kaede and Hibiki stood behind the girls while Akira was content staying to the side where everyone could see him.

"Yup!" Adanne sighed with a bright smile. "Ah, it was one hell of a wedding, wasn't Keitaro?"

Keitaro stopped chewing for a second and shrugged. "I'm just glad I got your dad's approval. He is a very intimidating man." As she chuckled, he turned to the Hinata girls. "Anything interesting happen while I was gone?"

Motoko reached forward to smack his head. Old habits die hard. However, he grabbed her wrist just in time. "Am I being oblivious again?" he smiled anew, making her blush.

"Y-yes you are." He released his hold.

"I apologize." He set his meal down and lay his arm on the armrest Adanne was using as a pillow. "How about each of you asks me a question, one person at time? I'll satisfy your curiosity and then you can satisfy mine. Deal?"

"Deal," Hibiki said before anyone could give their own input. "Give me the main reason why you left."

Keitaro laughed. "That's not a question."

Hibiki's eye twitched. However, Kaede asked, "What's this whole thing about immortality?" Hibiki decided to keep his mouth shut.

"Akira explained it, didn't he?" Keitaro turned to said intellectual.

He nodded. "Unexpected extra energy was transferred to each of us. Keitaro's abilities developed faster than our own for, at the moment, an unknown reason, and the rest of the clones will eventually reach the same stage as him: eternal life, and presumably," Akira took a quick look at Keitaro, "eternal youth."

Kaede nodded, hiding his stress fairly well. "Okay, yeah, um, so basically, we still heal, but only faster and better, and we stop aging."

"Yes."

"Aaaaannd how exactly are we supposed to fix this?"

"It's a work-in-progress. We'll update you once Seta returns."

It took Kaede a second to comprehend what Akira said. "What?"

"You heard me." The diplomatic tone encouraged Kaede to hold his dumbfounded expression a minute longer. "I'm sure that today and the days to come will be full of surprises and revelations. I don't want you all overwhelmed with too much information at once. Besides," Akira motioned his head to Keitaro, "he's been busy with finding a… cure, so to speak, so he'll need to rest up during his stay."

Keitaro rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, I could use a little vacation."

"Alright," Hibiki said as he crossed his arms, "now, buddy, do you think you could tell us why you left?"

After another exchange of smirks, Keitaro gave a light chuckle. With a sad smile, he looked away from everyone and held Adanne's hand. These actions did not go unnoticed. "Like I said, no one needed me here. Plus, someone had to go deal with this immortality problem."

"Why were Akira, Masaru, and Shinobu the only ones you bothered to stay in touch with?"

Keitaro shook his head at the slightly accusing tone. "I felt betrayed, neglected, ignored, and left behind. Masaru could relate. He understood. We talked, and Shinobu was swept along with into our conversations. She and I worked out our issues. After that shotgun incident, Akira came to us with his findings. I was planning to leave and go to Bishop, and this would be something he'd just love to –"

"Bishop?!" Kaede and Hibiki yelled. The girls' interest in the mysterious Bishop increased tenfold.

The smirk never wavered. "His offer still stood. He never forgets."

"Keitaro," Kitsune asked, "who's this Bishop guy? Akira mentioned a fight with him and all of your clones flinched at the name."

"Ahhh, that's one interesting story. I was fourteen and got into a fight with a friend of Bishop. He, the friend, ugh," Keitaro looked embarrassed for a second, "don't remember his name, was making fun of me because my aim for Toudai was based on a stupid promise."

Motoko and Kitsune wondered how Naru would have reacted to such nonchalance

"I got in a good punch, but I was young and stupid." He ignored Adanne's snort. "We kissed and made up after Bishop got involved. Bishop and I became… close after that." He chuckled. "Kanako never liked him. I think she just didn't want to admit she had a crush on him."

"So is he your new BFF?" Hibiki asked with a cold smile.

"You could say that."

"Even after what that snake did to the Confectionary Store?"

Keitaro, still looking happy as can be, raised an eyebrow as they made eye contact. "You tell me something: have you or any of our brothers talked to my parents are even visited the shop?"

He frowned alongside Kaede. They simultaneously said, "No."

"Do any of you feel any obligation, any attachment to my parents?"

Kaede didn't reply, but Hibiki repeated his previous answer.

"So why the heck would you care about what he did to them six, seven years ago? You don't owe them anything, but I owed him quite a lot."

Finally, Hibiki looked away. Whatever confidence he was born with, he still had his limits. Meanwhile, it looked like Keitaro had surpassed from the wimpish state that Hibiki remembered.

Victorious, Keitaro looked to the girls. "Next question?" Shinobu took his completed meal and went to the kitchen.

"How did you and Adanne meet?" Mutsumi blurted out.

The lovers gazed into each other's eyes. Before Keitaro could recount their initial meeting, he was tackled to the ground, knocking the stool over. Adanne was pulled down as well, landing on top of their assaulter.

Kanako paid her no mind. Her brother was here. What more could she ask for?

X

Shinobu was finishing drying her hands when Bishop climbed in through the window. He had a bloody rag pressed on his temple. He greeted enthusiastically, "Hey, Shinobu!"

She gave him a bow and a warm smile. "Sensei, it is good to see you again."

"Good to see you're still kicking." He perused her stature. "You've grown a bit, gotten taller."

"Mm hmph!" He ruffled her hair.

"Becoming more and more like a beautiful young woman every day." She slapped the hand away, the smile still in place.

"Who's says I'm not one already?"

He chuckled and bowed. "Have you been keeping your skills sharp and ready?"

She nodded. "I just patched up Adanne's leg with the kit you sent me."

Bishop frowned. "What happened?"

"Adanne said that after you left, she and Keitaro got into a fight with someone following them. She had a cut on her leg. It wasn't too bad at least."

He slowly nodded. He regained his smile and hugged her. She was startled; he wasn't a huggy person. "Been too long. Are you okay?"

"I… yes, I'm fine."

He pulled back and patted her shoulders. Then he revealed something in his hand. "Where'd you get this switchblade?" He twirled it around and showed her what caught his eye: an insignia on the handle picturing a diamond with a snake wrapping itself around it. "Only a select group of people have knives like this."

Shinobu stayed quiet. She hid her emotions well, but Bishop taught her how to do so. He could see her embarrassment, but there was no shame.

"I need to check on Adanne." He stabbed the blade into the counter. "Afterwards, you, me, and Masaru are having a talk." The way he walked out was his equivalent of raging stomping. Shinobu could tell from the way he widened his shoulders and made rigid movements with his legs. Once she was alone, she reclaimed her knife and followed him.

Bishop entered the lobby and did not expect to see three bodies lying on top of each other on the floor. "Adanne, why are you fondling your husband and his adopted sister?"

Immediately, Kanako rose to her feet with a very flustered face. Once Bishop had spoken, her conscious mind finally registered the hands on her private areas and pushed them away. Adanne rolled onto her back and landed next to Keitaro. Fortunately, her leg did not suffer any further damage.

"B-B-Big b-brother, you're m-m-m-m-married to this woman-n?" Kanako stuttered out.

Keitaro was panting, now free of his sister's unintentional attempted homicide. He sat up and coughed into his arm. Once he recomposed himself, he looked up with a disarming smile. "Yes, this is Adanne. How have you been, Kanako?"

For a moment, there was no noise. Then Kanako fell backward. Keitaro raised his eyebrows as he watched her descent. She landed into the couch and stayed there, knocked out.

Keitaro's eyes squinted as he identified the marks on her face to be bruises. "Bishop, did you get into another fight with my sister?"

"She'll live." Bishop walked over and checked her pulse. "Yeah, she'll live." He faced toward everyone else in the room, smiles and all. "Hello there, I'm Bishop. Keitaro and Akira here have told me a lot about you all."

He grunted, and a second later, the girls, Kaede, and Hibiki gasped. Keitaro just kneed Bishop in the groin. However, aside from the grunt, the two continued on as if nothing happened. They helped Adanne back onto the couch. Bishop proceeded to give Akira a thorough handshake while Keitaro sat between his wife and sister.

Needless to say, there were sweat drops.

"Keitaro," Shinobu called out as she stood behind a chair, "maybe we should start from the beginning."

Adanne snapped her fingers in her direction. "Excellent idea." She wrapped her arm around Keitaro's. "Sound like story time, honey!" She kissed his cheek. Kitsune and Motoko suspected this was an action analogous to a cat marking its territory, but it was only a suspicion.

"Yeah," Sarah said with fist bump into the air, "how did a dork like you get with such a nice lady like this? Tell us how you two met!"

Adanne giggled. "Well, he did make a great first impression on me."

"First things first," Bishop said when he released his embrace. He pointed a finger at Adanne's wound. "Who was following you?" he asked in a fatherly voice.

She sighed. "No idea, just some jackass in a fancy suit carrying around a fancy knife."

"Did he have a tattoo on the palm of his hand?"

"Ye –" she closed her mouth.

"Do you remember what that symbol means?"

Adanne nodded.

"What are you talking about?" Kitsune asked, finally processing everything that has come to pass. "Who the hell are you two?" She approached Keitaro, and their noses were inches apart. "Explain, now."

He smiled, but Kitsune was unfazed. "Do you really want to know?" He received a slap. Adanne suppressed a laugh by covering her mouth. Keitaro rubbed his cheek and looked to Kitsune. Wanting some more personal space, he gave her the sick, sadist smile Masaru taught him to use. She took a step back, and Keitaro said, "Okay, then. What do you want to know?"

_Where did you go? Why did you only speak with Shinobu? You don't think the rest of us care? Are you really immortal? _"Why did you leave?"

"I think I made that very clear."

Kitsune sighed and tensed up. "Fine, we threw you away for shiny new toys, but the gifts you left, the messages… you clearly cared about us, after everything. No matter how badly we treated you, you tried to take care of us. You leave to find out more about this healing thing, you needed space, I get that, but how do we know we can trust you?"

Akira frowned at her. "I shot myself. That's prove enough –"

"Prove that you've been keeping secrets from us," she interrupted. "You sir invited two strangers into our home and have known about Keitaro this whole time."

Mutsumi's brows furrowed in uneasiness. "But we can always trust Keitaro."

"Sorry Mutsumi," Keitaro said. That damnable smile was still there. "Kitsune has a point. Sure, I'm a sucker for sweet beauties like you, but my priorities have changed."

"He doesn't plan on staying here permanently," Akira continued. "Despite any speculation you may have perceived, he has his own life outside these walls. Once he finds a cure, it may be the last we will see him."

"WHAT?!" Sarah, Kaolla, and Kaede screamed at the top of their lungs.

The sound did nothing to hide the gunshot.

X

The bluntness of Masaru, the cold breath of Akira, the deceptive grin of Hibiki, the good-natured mannerisms of Ren, and some of the denseness of Kaede. While the clones have slowly evolved and grown, Keitaro has as well.

Osamu had learned to spot the subtle signs and tells of what could define one's personality. Keitaro probably learned how to do so, too.

"Is something wrong, honey?" a waiter asked. It was Chou. The polite, young, and uncomfortably flirty brunette pulled a chair over and sat at the table Osamu was residing at. "Is it something to do with that gunshot earlier?" She leaned in closer and lowered her voice. "It was a gunshot, right, one of that Kaolla girl's experiments?"

He nodded hurriedly. "Yes m-ma'am." Chou liked to try to set Osamu and Mutsumi up together, but it often resulted with the pair unconscious on the floor. In the process, a friendship was formed. "It's nothing to be worried about."

"You do remember that time with the Kei-Bot that girl built, right?" She gave him a knowing smile, prompting Osamu to blush and duck his head under his arms.

"P-P-Please, Chou, don't remind me. Everything's fine."

She leaned back on her chair. "Where's Mutsumi? We're supposed to open up pretty soon."

Osamu remained underneath his limbs. "We have visitors at the inn. She'll probably with them f-for the rest of the day."

Chou rubbed her head in annoyance and sighed. "First Kanako and now her." She raised her head and, with a doubtful look, asked, "Is there a chance that Kitsune will lend a hand today?"

"Probably not."

"Great…" As she bore her mischievous grin, Osamu quickly shot down her hopes.

"We're still opening the c-café. We need the money."

She pouted. "Fine." Chou got up and turned to get on with her work. However, she paused and looked back to her superior. He hadn't budged from his curled up position.

He straightened his back when he felt her rolling his shirt up, exposing his back. She prevented him from jumping out by pushing down on his shoulders. "Ch-Chou, what ar-ar-are y-you doing?"

"Relax," she whispered seductively. Despite this command, he did not stop shivering. "You're worried about something. Let me give you a massage…"

A few minutes later, Osamu was shirtless with his stomach lying on the table. He gave moans of pleasure as Chou rubbed and pressed her hands onto his skin. Osamu was deep in a haze of ecstasy, so he didn't descry or acknowledge the opening of the front doors. Chou, on the other hand, glared at the new arrival for a second before assuming a courteous smile.

"Hey, sweet cheeks." He closed the doors. "Wait, why are you covered in sand?"

"I was knocked into the sandbox," Masaru replied. He made his way to the restroom. Chou heard the sink be turned on. "I swear, Kanako is still out to get me."

"Osamu mentioned visitors!" Chou called back. "Who are they? Apparently, Mutsumi took the rest of the day off so that she has time to entertain them."

"Bit of a lengthy story." The sound of flowing water muffled his voice a fraction, so Masaru raised his volume. "Basically, the old manager left without warning a year ago. Girls got upset, but now he's back. They're having a reunion."

"And they can't have this assembly when no one has work?"

The sound of flowing water ceased, and Masaru walked out with wet hair. "Guess not." There was a halt in his stroll. He stood there, watching her caress and touch Osamu's back before shaking his head. "I sure hope you don't break his back."

She threw Osamu's shirt at the sand-stained boy, who caught it before it hit his face effortlessly. "What, jealous that this lucky guy can feel the wonderful sensations and experience that is my massaging skills?" He shrugged, obviously having no regrets for breaking up with Chou. "The manager's name was Keitaro, right? Is he taking his old job back from Kanako?"

"He won't be staying too long. Probably just till Seta and Auntie get back." Masaru threw back the shirt and held up his index finger. "And as much as I like how you love making people fluster and shriek," he pointed toward her, "don't flirt with him. His wife is here, and Keitaro doesn't like to admit it, but she has him on a tight leash. She's much more possessive than you are."

Chou gave a condescending laugh. "Oh, honey, I think I can take care of myself."

"I hope so." The doors opened once more. Without turning his head, Masaru said, "We're closed, come back in a half hour." Then he saw Chou freeze completely. Something cold was being pressed onto the back of his head.

"Keitaro," a deep voice said with a hint of anger, "I believe you owe me an arm."

_Damn, _Masaru though, sweat going down his forehead, _guess Adanne and original didn't clean up as well as they thought. _

The barrel of the visitor's gun pressed harder. "Last chance: where's Bishop?"

Masaru tried to calm down Chou with a smile, but Osamu started fidgeting. Before long, he'd be wide awake and probably start panicking. If that happens, Masaru couldn't guarantee Chou's safety or maintaining their immortality a secret from her.

Osamu's buzz cut held no resemblance to original's current style. His face was also buried in his arms. If things went south, the intruder would discover that there was more than one person with the face of Urashima Keitaro.

"I'll kill her first. Then your buddy."

Masaru mouthed to Chou, _When I make my move, pull Osamu back and hide by the registers. I'll lead him outside. Go to the inn and –_

He no longer felt the barrel trying to pierce his skull. It reappeared to the left of his peripheral vision a millisecond later.

Afterward, there was the gunshot.

The bullet shot through the top of Masaru's skull, but nothing vital was hit. His head butt a success, he quickly turned around and tackled the trespasser. As they landed on the wooden floor, Masaru grabbed the gun, inciting a struggle for control over it. More shots were fired into the ceiling before it clicked.

Masaru was hit in the face with the grip of the gun. After another punch, he rolled to his side. The intruder rose, reaching a hand into his grey suit jacket. Worried that he was reaching for a magazine for his gun, Masaru tripped him with a sweep of a leg. The formal attired, copper haired man lost his balance. Masaru went for another tackle, and they barreled out of the teashop. They rolled across the ground before getting separated as they fell down the stairs. Landing at the base of the hill that the Hinata Inn sat on, Masaru got to his feet and drew his switch blade. The stranger, in response, pulled out a machete from his coat.

The stranger lacked a left elbow. In its place was a flimsy and improvised dirty wrapping. Blood was dripping from it.

Masaru took out another knife in his other hand. "All right, let's go."


End file.
